Lemons and Roses
by MissLittleLove
Summary: Set in Manchester 1990, Louise "Lou" Thomas and her boyfriend Gaz and their mates tell the story of young people, trying to grow up in a small town with no hopes, no chance and no money. All they wanna do is get to Spike Island to see Stone Roses. This is their stories.


"I don't have to sell my soul, he's already in me. I wanna be adored" Ian Brown's sang from the tape as I sat in the garage where the band known as Shadowcaster practiced and rehearsed. The band was made up of singer Gary 'Tits' Tichfield, guitarist Darren 'Dogde' Hodge, drummer Chris 'Zippy' Weeks and bassist Gareth 'Little Gaz' Barrett. They were joined by their best mate Andrew 'Penfold' Peach who didn't actually do anything band related but was just as much a member as the rest of them and was the sweetest of the bunch.

Taking a draw of a spliff, Gaz passed it to Zippy who passed it on after taking a long it.

"Fuckin love that song I do" Zippy smiled, the gap in his teeth emphasised and he laughed, sitting back on the ancient sofa.

"Fucking love the Roses, best band in the world" Tits agreed from his dining chair where he sat facing everyone. Everyone loved the Stone Roses. They were the best fucking out of Manchester, out of England, out of anywhere.

"Ive gotta get goin, lads" I stood up, fixing my black school skirt and lifting my white record bag I used for school and heading towards the door.

"Ye alright, Lou?" Dodge asked, looking up from his guitar. His brown eyes meeting mine as I smiled.

"Yeah Dodge, its dinner time. Feeding time at the zoo" and I said making my way to the large wooden doors, pushing one of them opening as the lads shouted that they'd see me later and I shut the door, starting to walk in the direction of home. There was a noise behind me but I never turned around, thinking it was probably them closing the door properly.

"Lou" A voice called behind me. Gaz, my boyfriend of two years. Brown hair blowing in the wind, brown eyes squinting as he tried to focus on me. He was a babe. A proper babe.

"Y'alright love?" He nodded and put his school bag over his shoulder before taking my hand. We started walking as the cold air sent a shiver through us. "Need help makin dinner for the girls?" Katy and Rosie were 4 and 7, Gaz's little sisters who he loved the bones of. Their mum Shelia was lazy, angry and a cow who left them to it, so my handsome 16 year old boy looked after them, making sure they were fed, clean, loved and looked after. That they were never without and I helped him out as much as I could.

I lived with my big sister Tracey who was 23 and her boyfriend Sean, both sound and both great people. We didn't talk to our mum and dad,who were fuckin prats. My big sis moved out when she was 16, went to college, became a hairdresser, met Sean, got a flat and moved me in with them both. She saved me and I was forever grateful to her. Sean too.

"Yeah alright babe" Gaz replied, leading us in the direction of his house. His mum was probably asleep on the couch in the front room, tv on and falling asleep. The house would be a mess and the girls would be in their room, terrified to make a noise in case Shelia got angry at them. It broke my heart that they were living in them kinda conditions.

When we got to Gaz's, he pulled out his keys after we climbed the four flights of stairs to his flat and unlocked the door. The tv was blasting, the lights were out and Shelia was passed out on the couch. Gaz dropped his tan school bag/

"Ill be back in a minute. Just gonna go check on the girls" and he disappeared down the hall. Going into the kitchen, I put my bag down, took of my faded denim jacket and turned on the cooker. I pulled out a well used pan, putting it on the first hob and turned the dial, watching it light up and come to life. Opening the cupboard behind me, I pulled out a tin of beans and was looking for a tin opener when the door opened. Gaz came in, his pale blue Adidas hoodie in his hand.

"Lou, its alright ill do it" He started, coming towards me to take the tin out my hand.

"Nah" I told him, shaking my head. "Ill heat the beans, you find me the tin opener and make the toast"

He sighed, a soft smile on his gorgeous face. "Alright" and opened a drawer, rustling around and pulled out a tin opener, handing it to me.

"Thanks love" and we got to work making dinner.

The girls ate their dinner and so did Gaz. I didn't have any, knowing I had a curry from last night in the fridge waiting for me.

"What do you say to Lou?" Gaz asked the two girls who were finishing the last of their simple dinner. They both looked up.

"Thanks Lou" Katy smiled, a space where her front teeth should be. Both of them were the cutest little things and good kids.

"You're very welcome pretty girls" I gathered up their plates and took them to the kitchen. Shelia was snoring loudly now. Putting the plates in the sink, I grabbed my jacket and bag, getting ready to head and let my boy get his sisters ready for bed, for school the next day. It was nearly their bed time anyway. I headed back to the girls pink room where Gaz was telling them he was running them a bath and then it was bed time. They both moaned, saying it was Friday tomorrow and they didn't feel tired. He shook his head and told them no talking back.

"Gaz, im gonna head now. Meet ya at the bus stop at 8 in the mornin?" and he stood up off the bottom bunkbed and told his sisters he'd be back in a minute, leaving the room and walking down the hall behind me. He opened the front door and we walked out, him leaving it on the latch and closing it behind us.

"Dya need to go babe?" He asked taking my hands. I laughed softly and rolled my eyes "Ya can always stay? Ill wash ya uniform for ya?"

"Id love to but you know my sisters rules. No stayin over on a school night" and he sighed, shaking his head.

"Stay tomorrow then? Please? Its been ages, Lou"

"Its been a week, Gaz! I stayed last Friday AND Saturday" I pointed out, moving his soft hair out of his eyes. "I'll stay tomorrow, love. I promise. I'll bring my toothbrush to school and everything. Ya can check me bag in the morning" I teased and smiled brightly.

"Sorted" and he leaned in, his chapped lips covering mine. He had a terrible habit of biting his lip and it drove me mad. He got all offended when I offered him some of me lip balm at Christmas, telling me "I'm a man, Louise. I don't need fuckin lip balm" and didn't talk to me for a good fifteen minutes.

"I'll see ya in the morning, love" I started to pull away, knowing that if I didn't leave now, I'd up staying.

"I love ya" He told me quietly as I fixed my bag over my shoulder. Stopping, I smiled and put my hand on his cheek.

"I love ya more" and started to head. As I got to the stairs, I stopped. "Oh Gaz, love. Remember we got that homework for Milligan. Better get it done or else it'll be a cold night tomorrow" and I winked at him, heading down the stairs, my footsteps echoing.

"Cheeky cow. I'll see ya tomorrow babe" and his front door closed.

I walked into the street. It was starting to get dark and cold so I headed to the bus stop. The bus wouldn't be long.


End file.
